Michael Joseph (1941-) - Nude in sheep, small darkroom print by the

lot/michael joseph 1941 nude in sheep small darkroom print by the UgQstfS 632938986 / For sale

lot/michael joseph 1941 nude in sheep small darkroom print by the UgQstfS 632938986

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lot/michael joseph 1941 nude in sheep small darkroom print by the UgQstfS 632938986

For salePrice history

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Michael Joseph (1941-) - Nude in sheep, small darkroom print by the

“Nude in Sheep” - Wiltshire, 1974 Unique Signed Vintage Silver Gelatin Photograph by Michael Joseph At first glance, it seems almost impossible: a solitary nude woman standing in an extraordinary sea of sheep, her pale figure emerging from hundreds of woolly bodies until woman and flock appear to merge into one vast, wonderfully surreal landscape. Photographed by Michael Joseph in Wiltshire in 1974 for the International Wool Secretariat (IWS), Nude in Sheep is one of those gloriously audacious images that could only have been conceived, coordinated and captured in the 1970s. The apparent serenity conceals considerable chaos. Michael directed the scene from several hundred metres away by walkie-talkie, while shepherds, stylists and crew battled wind and drizzle, coaxing an enormous and decidedly independent flock into position. Land Rovers, temporary fencing and production paraphernalia surrounded the set. Yet through clever composition and careful cropping, Michael makes all of it disappear. What remains is something strangely serene, sensual and surreal. The contrasts are irresistible: bare skin and billowing wool; softness and scale; solitude and swarm. One vulnerable human figure stands amid hundreds of animals, almost swallowed by the flock yet unmistakably commanding the centre of the composition. And then there is a tiny detail that Michael particularly loved. Look closely and amongst the mass of pale wool is a single black-faced sheep seemingly gazing directly towards the woman - a wonderfully whimsical little exchange that rewards a second, closer look. Michael chose this particular negative for printing in part because of that moment. This example is especially desirable because it is an original vintage darkroom print made by Michael himself in the 1970s - not a later reproduction. It is in a mount and has been signed, titled “IWS Nude in Sheep” and dated “Wiltshire 1974” by Michael Joseph on the front, giving this individual print an especially personal connection to its photographer. The reverse is equally fascinating, retaining Michael Joseph's original studio label together with handwritten annotation identifying it as a darkroom print created at his West Central Street studio in London in 1974 for IWS - a lovely piece of surviving provenance from his working archive. As one would expect from a genuine photographic object dating from 1974, the print is not pristine. There are minor indentations, surface irregularities and small age-related imperfections, visible on close inspection and consistent with more than fifty years of handling and storage. These have deliberately been left untouched and should be regarded as part of the history and character of this unique vintage piece rather than those of a modern reproduction. Client: International Wool Secretariat (IWS) Photographer: Michael Joseph Location: Wiltshire, England Date: 1974 Medium: Original vintage silver gelatin darkroom photograph Signature: Signed, titled and dated by Michael Joseph Mount: Original period mount, 30 × 24 cm Edition: Unique vintage darkroom print at this size Condition: Minor indentations, surface marks and age-related imperfections consistent with a photographic object from 1974 Part pastoral fantasy, part provocative publicity, part perfectly orchestrated photographic theatre, Nude in Sheep encapsulates Michael Joseph's remarkable ability to transform a complicated commercial commission into an image with an independent life - witty, weird and wonderfully memorable. A genuinely one-of-a-kind vintage photographic object, hand-printed by the photographer more than fifty years ago, preserved in its original mount and personally signed by Michael Joseph himself.

Estimate:$568.56

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